Abstract

Background: previous studies have shown that preeclampsia is associated with elevated maternal serum homocysteine levels, but few studies have evaluated homocysteine levels in amniotic fluid in these patients. The purpose of this study was to compare amniotic fluid homocysteine levels in preeclamptic women, with those of normal pregnant women.

Methods: A cross sectional study was done on 46 pregnant women with severe preeclampsia and 46 normal pregnant women. Homocysteine levels in amniotic fluid and maternal serum were compared in two groups. Data were analyzed using t test and leven's test.

Results: The mean serum homocysteine levels in the third trimester of pregnancy in the preeclamptic women was 3.965 +/- 1.8 and in normal group was 3.05 +/- 1.87 which was statistically significant (P.v=0.019). The mean amniotic fluid homocysteine levels in the third trimester of pregnancy in mothers with severe preeclampsia was 11.11 +/- 7.41 and in the control group was 8.15 +/- 5.71, in which the difference was statistically significant (P.v=0.035). The average of differences between serum and amniotic fluid homocysteine levels in preeclamptic group was 7.14 +/- 6.01 and the average of differences in normal group was 5.1 +/- 4.34, there were no statistically significant differences between two groups (P.v=0.065)

Conclusion: In the patients with severe preeclampsia, homocysteine levels in serum and amniotic fluid were higher than those of normal pregnant women. Higher homocysteine levels in amniotic fluid of preeclamptic women could indicate the role of the fetus in producing of the preeclampsia.